VOLUME 118 NUMBER 11
Teves 6, 5786
December 26, 2025
Parshas Vayigash
Candlelighting Time 4:24
After much trial and travail, finally the truth was told and the viceroy of Egypt was none other than Yosef, their long lost brother. They were taken aback by this twist and unable to utter a word due to their incredulity and astonishment. Then Yosef tosses out the elephant in the room and declares that yes I am your brother Yosef whom you sold into slavery. And the big question is why did Yosef have to pour salt on their wounds? After all, they knew what they had done and to repeat in front of them their iniquitous act that they had perpetrated could only serve to deepen the hatred and enmity between them!
S’fas Emes provides a penetrating insight into the marvelous world of Hashem’s orchestration of events. He submits that the brothers certainly recognized the outstanding caliber of Yosef that stood before them. His rectitude and respectability shown forth and he displayed a level of uprightness and integrity that clearly demonstrated that the immoralities of Egypt had not impacted him in the slightest. And that was precisely his point to them. Besides the evil event that they had performed, they also assumed that if he had remained with them for the last couple of decades he would have grown in his spirituality in a tremendous way. Now that he had assimilated into a foreign culture how could he have not only maintained his level of religiosity but even progressed further? The difficulties that Yosef encountered in Egypt created an impetus within him to surpass those hardships and in doing so he elevated himself in a manner unlike that would have occurred would he have remained with the family. And that comforted his brothers when they understood that even though what they had done per se was wrong at least, Hashem coordinated that Yosef would against all odds reach higher, elevate himself, and become Yosef Hatzadik!
However, the depth of their perception of his height of perfection had an even more profound effect. The entire episode and disagreement between Yosef and his brothers was built upon their jealousy of his proposed kingship over them. The dreams that he espoused promoted him as the leader of the family and as the eventual king over them. That purported divination created a rift and friction because they did not perceive him in that role. Possibly they realized that he was certainly a prominent member of the family, especially that he was the son of Rochel the primary wife of Yaakov. But to assume that he should fill that exceptional function, that they could not admit to. Upon witnessing his outstanding character that truly impressed them, that provided them with the incentive to speak with him on the level of recognition that he deserved. Which leads the S’fas Emes to the next level and that is that jealousy is a reaction to someone presupposing a status that is not appropriate for him. Therefore, others feel uncomfortable accepting that supposed reality which they believe to be fallacious. Upon viewing the totality of a person and his rise to a status of eminence that he truly deserves, then there is no jealousy because the relevance of his position is accurate. And that was what the brothers finally understood and accorded Yosef the honor and admiration he was worthy of.
A BYTE FOR SHABBOS
When Yosef revealed himself to his brothers, the Torah states that Yosef told them to approach him and then he said, “I am Yosef.” The verse repeats him name two times because he emphasized to his brothers not only am I physically well but additionally he was spiritually healthy. RAV MOSHE FEINSTEIN
GOOD SHABBOS
